Setting goals for health and wellbeing

From the archive: Mountain Rescue Magazine Issue 87, Winter 2024. From Togetherall in association with the Rescue Benevolent Fund.

The article as it appeared in Mountain Rescue Magazine, Winter 2024

When the new year rolls around, it’s easy for us to feel like we need to accomplish everything we didn’t get the chance to tackle last year. Sometimes we can put so much pressure on ourselves to improve every aspect of our lives, that we can feel anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed.

There’s no problem with setting goals for yourself, but it is important to work towards our goals while being kind to ourselves.

Do you have areas of your life you want to work on this year? Try some of the following tips from the goal-setting guide in the Togetherall platform.

Making lists and setting goals © Glen Carstens Peters.

Decide what matters to you

Think about an area of your life you’d like to work on. This could be incorporating physical activity, mindfulness, meal prepping or learning something new.
Ask yourself: What’s important to you? Think about something you want to do, not something you feel like you must do. Remember, prioritising one goal will likely mean you need to shift time/energy spent in other areas.

Start small and spell it out

Every major journey begins with a first step. To help yourself achieve big goals, allow yourself to start small. Identify two small action steps to help you achieve your goal. It’s important to make these steps achievable and small, and have a plan in place to achieve them.

For example, if you want to start meditating in the new year, instead of starting with a big goal that you’ll meditate twenty minutes every morning before you head out the door, try starting with a more realistic goal such as meditating for five minutes twice a week and see how that goes. Once you start a new habit you enjoy, you can gradually adjust it and eventually make it part of your daily routine.

Make things easier for yourself

Think about an area where you succeeded in the past and adapt it to your new goal. Reflecting on previous success can help to motivate and inspire us to channel our strengths into new endeavours.
Get support with your goals from a friend or someone who can help hold you accountable.

It’s easier to work towards your goals when you have someone to talk to. Tell someone that you trust your goals and the steps you’re taking to work towards them. They might join you on your journey or set some goals for themselves.

If you’re not sure who to talk to, try Togetherall’s online community where you can receive validation and support from others who understand.

Accept where you are right now and learn

It’s hard to quickly create new behaviours. It may take a few tries to set yourself up for success. Just remember:

  • Prioritise
  • Set realistic goals with achievable plans
  • Get support from those who will support your efforts.